In the Spotlight: Bill Meyer

Welcome to the first post of our new “In the Spotlight” series! We are excited to highlight the rowing prowess and leadership of our current president, Bill Meyer. 

Bill joined BCR in September 2018 and was elected president in November 2019. Since he started his term in January 2020, Bill has shown undeniable leadership skill in helping the club navigate the unprecedented changes seen by so many organizations in the first half of 2020.

Though this is his first time on the BCR board, Bill has unsurprisingly donated his time on other volunteer boards before, including serving on the board of a youth soccer organization in Massachusetts for about seven years.

Bill Meyer, BCR’s current president.

Bill’s rowing career began in 1978 at sunny San Diego State University, where he studied electrical engineering. After seeing recruiters for the crew team on campus and their 8+ with oars in the middle of the quad, Bill decided to walk-on as a Freshman, following in the footsteps of his father, who rowed at UCLA. As soon as Bill got into the barge used to teach novices to row, he was bit by the rowing bug and never turned back. Bill rowed all four years he was eligible, rowing on the freshmen squad for one year and the lightweight squad for three years (with some guest appearances in the varsity squad).

Bill (3 seat) during a guest row with Ancient Mariner’s Rowing Club.

Between semesters at SDSU in the summer of 1980, Bill walked onto the lightweight national team camp and spent several weeks rowing twice a day have the most fun being “young and stupid” (his words!). A particular memory that stands out to Bill was his boat’s performance against rowers assumed to be much faster than them. During a practice at precamp at Yale, 16 oarsmen were divided into two 8+s, while Bill, two other spares, and an assistant coach were thrown in a straight 4+, otherwise known as the boat that was not expected to survive precamp. To the surprise of many, except maybe those who know Bill well, the straight 4+ dusted the two 8+s in every single piece of the practice.

At the Opening Day Regatta in April 1981, Bill stroked the SDSU JV boat to an impressive victory. His boat took a lead off the start and managed to pull away from the pack of boats going through the Montlake cut. With six boats behind them, Bill felt on top of the world and knew the competition would never catch them. After the race, Bill gladly received the betting shirts owed to his boat from the other crews. To this day, Bill still has his college betting shirts from this fun tradition.

Bill (far left) flexing for the camera with WRC.

After college, Bill took a brief, 30-year hiatus from rowing. In 2011, however, a friend dared Bill to come back to rowing. Bill had a similar experience to his first days on the water at SDSU; he was bitten once more by the rowing bug and left wondering why he ever stopped in the first place. The rowing community owes a big thank you to this friend, and his dare, for bringing Bill back to the rowing world. Bill rowed with Westford Community Rowing in Massachusetts before moving to Boulder in 2018.

With WCR, Bill raced at the Head of the Charles in the Men’s Masters 8+. Bill fondly remembers the electric feeling of rowing through the final bridges on the course and hearing the roaring crowd.

Bill (stroke seat) in the Men’s Masters 8+ at the Charles.

Bill’s favorite part of rowing is the community and friendships built through a collective passion for the sport. Reflecting on his time at BCR, Bill notes from his first trial row, he knew BCR and its community were the club for him.  Bill rows both sides and sculls, and though he has been rowing in 7 seat quite frequently at BCR, there is no seat in the boat he dislikes.

Outside of rowing, Bill focuses on a career in electrical engineering, outdoor activities such as hikes, bike rides, and kayak trips, and his family, including his wife and two children. Bill’s son currently lives in Golden and works at an aerospace company, and his daughter lives in DC and works in consulting.

BCR is so grateful to have Bill as part of our community, and we look forward to the many memories to come with him!